


Gun Shy

by JediDiplomat



Series: How Not to Woo your Co-star [2]
Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-04-02
Updated: 2007-04-02
Packaged: 2017-10-23 07:11:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/247594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JediDiplomat/pseuds/JediDiplomat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jensen really isn't good with the press.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gun Shy

It took Jared a while to figure it out. Not because he was stupid like the tabloids claimed, but because Jensen could be damn secretive when he wanted to. So, it took him a while to put the pieces together. He knew Jen was shy. Hell, at the initial network interview Jensen had barely said more than 'hey.' At the time, Jared had assumed it was nerves or a competitiveness or just that he didn't like Jared. Once they were both cast, they just clicked.

Which was part of why it took Jared so long to figure it out.

Jen was different around him. More...well, Jared would say, more himself; but then again maybe not. It actually took him surfing the net to figure it out. Reports of encounters by fans where Jen just sort of stared before running away. Which was just so not happening when Jay was around. It made Jared start to watch Jensen more. Watch what he did and how he acted when he thought Jared wasn't around.

He was almost a different person.

Jared thought for a bit that maybe those pod people actually did exist and had taken Jensen. Because, sure, he'd heard gossip that Jensen was an arrogant bastard, but he'd always wondered if those critics had ever met the guy. If anyone asked Jared, that would be the last thing Jared woulda said about Jen.

Really.

So, it was a bit of a shock to see Jen being brusque and curt with the crew, until they all pretty much left him to himself. How Jensen's shoulders relaxed and the tension just seeped out of him when he thought he was alone. The smile and easy nature even Jared hadn't seen. None of it made sense.

The key was when Jared went back to the net for more research. He watched old interviews. In them, most of them, Jared could tell the second Jen started to climb the walls. Made Jay wonder about it. Wonder if something else was going on, since that never happened in the interviews where they were together. Something that wasn't just 'Jen's a bastard' because that just didn't track. As he watched more and more, Jay started to get an idea. He could see how awkward Jensen had been and then where it almost looked as if Jen was drunk. He was making sense, but there was no filter and he was a bit loopy. He went from guarding every word to guarding none.

Things came to a head in London.

Jen was all over the place, missing interviews, one minute surly and grumpy the next loopy as hell. The shining moment, was when he went off on a rant about reality TV in general and went so far as to insult the fans of Supernatural as being not particularly bright. Jared had done some really fancy talking to save that one. Afterwards, he followed Jen back to his hotel room.

He needed answers. They were costars and Jared had thought they were friends. He couldn't have Jen's back if he didn't know what the problem was.

Jensen turned and glared as Jared followed him in. “Dude! Pretty sure you got your own room!”

Jared ignored the offensive and launched one of his own. “What the hell, Jen?” You wanting off the show or something? What the hell was that?”

“What?” Jensen snapped back. “Forgot I'm not allowed an opinion?”

“You're damn right, you did! Listen if you wanna keep your job you gotta spout the party line. Jesus, you're the one that told me that. Keep the personal opinions just that, personal.” Jared glared at him. “Seriously, what the fuck is up with you, man? You've been acting strange for awhile now. Being surly, coming in hung over. Dude, this ain't like you, you're more professional than this.”

Jensen snorted. “Like you have any idea.”

“So tell me! C'mon dude, you ain't the first actor to hate interviews.”

Jared smiled at Jensen's startled look. Hayseed ain't stupid, after all.

“I don't hate them,” Jensen started, but it was flat, something he'd said a dozen times, probably to himself.

“Yeah, and I'm Jenna Jamison,” Jared replied with a snort.

“Got a boob reduction there, Jenna?” Jensen asked. His voice still harsh, a “fuck you” in his stance.

“C'mon Jen, lemme help, yeah?” Jared asked. “Kinda thought we were friends.”

Jensen sighed and Jared figured he'd won. Not sure what exactly, but he won something. “Yeah, fine,” Jen said. “Obviously, what I'm doing ain't working.”

Jared refrained from commenting, afraid he'd fuck it up and Jensen would shut down again.

“I don't hate'em. Well, I do, but only because—fuck this is gonna sound stupid.”

“No, it won't,” Jared said.

“I'm afraid of'em.” Jensen finally spat out. “Always think everyone's judging me or they think I'm an ass or I'll screw up the questions or—fuck just about anything.”

Jared blinked. That wasn't what he'd been expecting. “Dude—all this—because you're shy?”

“Get the fuck out, Jay!” Jensen snapped and Jared winced. Not the best there, hayseed, the man's expecting sympathy and you're laughing in the guy's face.

“Sorry, just—man I thought you were on drugs or something.”

“I am,” Jen said quietly.

“What?!” Jared said. No way! No fucking way, Jensen was on drugs.

“Prescription drugs, Jared. For this. It-it calms me down, makes it easier to think. Keeps me from ending up in the ER over this shit. Only—I didn't count'em out before I left, thought I had enough or that I wouldn't need them and I ran out.” Jen said with a grimace. Jared blinked. Ok, if he was on drugs for this, it was more than just shy then.

“That's why you've been all over the place?” Smooth, Jared, real smooth. “So, what can I do?”

Jensen snorted again and rubbed a hand over his forehead. Jared frowned, he'd seen that gesture in interviews before, usually right before Jensen started climbing the walls. “Nothing, unless you can make the interviews go away or cross the Atlantic on a white horse and get my meds.”

Jared frowned. No, he couldn't do that--”What if—you said you were worried that everyone was judging you, yeah? What if I kept all the attention on me? Everyone knows I'm an attention whore.”

Jensen glanced at him, frowning. As if to see what the catch would be. “You'd do that?”

“Seriously, man, it's not a chore. Especially if it keeps you sane and not fired.”

“Do like the job, minus the interviews.”

Jared grinned, it was possibly as close to a thank you as he was gonna get.

FIN  



End file.
